After “The Wolverine” made an improvement to the horrendous bad “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” 20th Century Fox (pre-Disney purchase) worked on the next installment of the “X-Men” series with the old and new cast from previous films reprising their roles in “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” Released in 2014, (same year John Wick came out) the seventh entry earned positive reviews from critics, fans and movie goers alike.
As you may know, Hugh Jackman will reprise his role as Wolverine in “Deadpool 3” set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or MCU for short. This time, he’ll play an alternate version of the character. Thus, Fox’s X-Men series is part of the MCU as a separate universe. One more thing, Insomniac Games is working on a Wolverine video game. It’ll be released in the future on PlayStation 5.
This review contains no SPOILERS. Feel free to check out my non-spoiler article.
Sleek & Rusty Aspects
Sleek: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Patrick Stewart, Michael Fassbender, Ian McKellen, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicolas Hoult, Halle Berry & Elliot Page (formerly known as Ellen Page) reprise their roles. They all did an excellent job for their respective performances.
Then newcomers to the series such as Peter Dinklage & Evan Peters both did a decent job for their respective performances. No disrespect to Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Evan’s portrayal of Quicksilver is my favorite.
Bryan Singer did a great job directing. Too bad he’s another disgraced POS like Brett Ratner.
Simon Kinberg wrote the script.
Even though Matthew Vaughn didn’t return to direct as he was busy filming “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” he wrote additional material.
Action Sequences are legitimately good. Perhaps the best scene is when Quicksilver uses his superspeed, taking down security guards with Jim Croce’s “Time in a Bottle” played in the background.
John Ottman (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Nice Guys) orchestrated the soundtrack.
Cinematography was shot carefully without relying on Shaky Cam.
Visual Effects are Class A. They don’t resemble a PlayStation 2 cutscene.
Hank asks Wolverine if he’s a parent. In the comics, he has a daughter known as X-23. She later appears in “Logan.”
The Future takes place in 2023. The exact same year “Avengers: Endgame” took place.
The Rogue Cut slightly improves the film’s theatrical cut. Featuring 17 minutes of additional context listed below.
- A memorial honoring the fallen mutants.
- A scene with the surviving mutants discussing a plan to change the timeline.
- More dialogue with Wolverine trying to recruit Young Professor X.
- Anna Paquin reprises her role as Rogue assisting Shadowcat, borrowing her powers in order to let Wolverine stay in the past.
- Another character drops an F-Bomb.
- Mystique visits Hank at X-Mansion.
- Old Erik & Iceman rescuing Rogue.
- Young Professor X brings up Young Erik’s accidental bullet deflection causing the former to become paralyzed. A callback to “X-Men: First Class.”
- Quicksilver’s sister Wanda appears as a little girl who meets Wolverine.
- A Mid-Credits Scene shows the fate of one prominent character.
Professor X’s opening monologue pays homage to “Terminator 2: Judgement Day.”
Character Development involving Young Professor X. As the story progresses, he stops his frequent doses of a serum suppressing his powers to resuming his role as a leader to the X-Men.
The Sentinels in 1973 closely resemble the ones from the comics. While the ones from 2023 are a cross between T-1000 and Gort from “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” Look on bright side. Fox didn’t make ’em look lame like Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
After Young Erik lifts a baseball stadium to The White House, the film just became the climactic scene from “Akira.” Tetsuo’s a lot like Magneto. All it’s missing is Wolverine riding a bike escorting Young Professor X to safety.
Famke Janssen, James Marsden & Kelsey Grammer make cameo appearances.
A Post-Credits Scene sets up “X-Men Apocalypse.”
Rusty: Unlike the titular storyline from the comics, Shadowcat travels back in time, not Wolverine. I’m willing to accept its major change. Wolverine sees Professor X as a mentor and father figure. So, I’ll let this flaw slide.
If you’re scratching your head on why Professor X is alive after he died in “X-Men: The Last Stand,” he transferred his mind to a guy in a coma. In The Wolverine’s Post-Credits Scene, he got his old body back. Days of Future Past never showed us a flashback on how his body’s restored. To paraphrase Poe in “The Rise of Skywalker.” “Somehow, Xavier returned.”
A Plot Hole involving the Sentinels capable of copying a random mutant’s power from Mystique’s DNA. Remember the first movie, when Wolverine destroys Mystqiue’s fake claw? She can’t mimic a mutant’s power. She can only change her appearance.
Gambit doesn’t make an appearance. What a bummer. He deserves proper treatment.
The Final Verdict: B-
X-Men: Days of Future Past isn’t terrible or a masterpiece. Just, average. I recommend The Rogue Cut. I’m stoked to see Hugh Jackman putting the claws back on. He better wear the yellow and blue outfit in Deadpool 3.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 